


I'll always find you

by earltealord



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Artist!Keith, Childhood Friends, Fated Lovers, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Modern AU, architecture!shiro, i guess?, shiro pining for the most of it, slight allusions to allurance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-18
Updated: 2017-11-18
Packaged: 2019-02-03 21:48:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,242
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12756816
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/earltealord/pseuds/earltealord
Summary: “Shiro,” the younger boy said, looking to Shiro with a sad smile, “I’m going to move.”





	I'll always find you

**Author's Note:**

> Heyy, I haven't written in a very, very long while but I saw a piece of fanart that sparked the writing gene in me.  
> So first and foremost, this fic is based on this
> 
>  
> 
> <http://jin-06.tumblr.com/post/167310896786/do-you-remember-me>  
> 
> 
> and secondly I'm sorry for any grammar mistakes this is unbeta'd and it's late. 

“Shiro,” the younger boy said, looking to Shiro with a sad smile, “I’m going to move.”

  
  


* * *

 

Shiro woke with the loud blaring of his alarm, 7 years of waking up at 5 am never prepared him for actually doing the act. He laid in bed silently contemplating if he could spar a few more minutes to sleep in. 

Unfortunately, non-morning Shiro is much smarter than morning Shiro is, and has moved his phone dock that he uses as his alarm across the room on his dresser. He silently curses himself, and shiver as he rolls out of bed. Going through his morning routine like all other mornings.

Even after all this time he still needs time to acclimate to life in the city, though whenever he complains to his parents he only gets slight laughs being too young enough to remember the hectic trains of Tokyo where his parents were subject before they made their way to the states. 

Though there, they have a certain politeness and quiet, that New York would never have in the subways. Though he keeps to himself, he can’t help but hear curses at him if he accidentally bumps into a drunk or those less fortunate than him on his way boarding the train.

On such a day, he’s early and minding his own business, and taken to people watch when he spot him.

 

He nearly drops his things, because he remembers seeing a face much like the one he sees across the platform. Dark raven hair, and unusual dark blue-purple eyes. He doesn’t look back, Shiro thinks he doesn’t even notice. He can’t remember the name, he’s always been pretty bad with that. But the man is actually gorgeous, and he’s lost in thought before he sees him move forward to board the train and Shiro moves too. 

They’re in separate cars, but Shiro can see him looking down at his phone, giant portfolio bags slung across his shoulder, he has papers and sketchbooks hanging from everywhere.  _ An artist,  _ Shiro thinks, and vows to meld this face into his mind, because he knows this staring is getting a little creepy. 

But he can’t help it, the man looks vaguely familiar, but he can’t place it as to why this is. And he’s still caught up staring at the artist, he almost misses his stop.

 

* * *

 

Shiro had been staring at his draft for the better part of the morning, lucky that he’s the Chief designer of this new project of the Architecture firm he works at, because he has been seriously procrastinating even designing a single bush for this building. Allura has come into his office several times to ask him how his progress was going, he had managed to pass it off as being a off day and due to artist block. She had shared sentiments and offered him out to Lunch. 

He had thanked her, and she had come back at twelve with some wraps from the cafe in there building. “Was your boyfriend working the lunch shift again?” Shiro had lightly teased taking the wrap she offered him.

Allura flushed slightly, blue eyes avoid contact with his, “I don’t know what you’re talking about Shiro,” they chuckled together.

“Have you two even talked yet?” Shiro took a bite of his wrap, waiting for her to respond.

“Not, as much as I would have liked, He’s charming, but I see him flirting with every female customer that comes there. He looks young, probably too young for something serious.”  
“You don’t know that, if you haven’t talked,” Shiro smiled at her.

“You are one to talk Shiro, I haven’t seen you talk with anyone interested in you, either you’re really cruel or  you want to keep your playboy game to yourself,” Allura took a bite of her wrap slightly more vigorous that probably she meant to. 

Shiro choked at the insinuation, “Allura!” he scolded.

She gave him a look, and he sighed, “I just have been too focused on work and school, I haven’t really had time to date.”  
“So, today you started dating someone?” Shiro gave her a questioning look, “You’ve been so unfocused there must be a reason.”

“Ah,” Shiro let out, dragging out the silence for a bit before it became a bit too awkward, “I think…. I think it’s the first time I’ve had Art block.”

Allura sighed, “Shiro…”

“Okay, I just saw someone I think I knew and I kinda have been scanning my memory for that face, but I don’t think I know him from high school or college, he looked very familiar.”

“Did you go up to him?” Allura asked, finishing off her lunch.

“I… No, I only saw him at the station, this is the first time i’ve seen him too, he might be new to the city,” Shiro shrugged, “It could also just be a coincidence.”

“Worst case scenario, you just find him attractive.” Allura commented gathering her trash, taking Shiro’s as well as she moved to leave the room.

“I, sure, maybe?” Shiro smiled after her as she left, promising to have again and he went back to work.

* * *

 

Shiro sighed heavily, the whole day had been him trying to put a name to that face he saw that morning. He’s so lost in his thoughts that he doesn’t even remember getting to his station and standing behind a messy mop of hair that’s gather at the nape with an equally messy ponytail. He can smell the charcoal on the Artist’s hands. 

And Shiro panics, because he suddenly has no idea what to do. Caught up in a certain dilemma of whether he should bother this person or not. He’s leaning towards asking when he hears a phone go off and the Artist is pulling his mobile to his ear. “Hello?”

With that as well, Shiro suffers internally, because his voice is also gorgeous. “Yeah,” he hears the voice confirm over the phone, then slightly exasperated, “Yes, this is Keith,” and suddenly he’s moving forward. It takes Shiro a minute to compose himself and realize that: the train is boarding and the Artist’s name is Keith.

The Artist, Keith is still on the phone in a different car, and Shiro tries very hard not to stare. He finally has a name to the face, but his mind is drawing a blank on any Keith’s he knew in his life. Part of him knows that even if he doesn’t this Keith, he can still try to talk to him. His Mother had drilled into his head that the universe had a funny way of showing mates to each other. So maybe this way a sign.

* * *

 

It’s not until he reaches the safety and comfort of his home, that he remembers. He remembers a younger boy that was way too skinny for his own good, far to prickly for a kid, and far too closed off. He remembers that boy who was “assigned” to him as a friend. They called them reading buddies, but they were essentially the same. 

He remembered reading with him during recess, he was a smart kid and had a 10th grade reading level in 3rd grade. He remembered Keith getting into fights because of his appearance, because of his attitude, because of his family situation. 

He remembered the last day of elementary school walking home with Keith, and him saying he was moving away. He remembered how he lost contact because despite promising to write he never received a single letter. 

 

He laid awake later than usually that night, reminiscing about the boy, the first real friend he had, despite him being slightly younger. He remembered their promises, their hideouts in his backyard, his mom scolding them both for getting drenched and muddy one afternoon during a rainstorm. He’d remembered bathing together and Keith being nervous about everything. He’d remembered saying that Shiro was the first person who had invited him to his house. He’d remembered that as the boy walked on ahead of him, he felt a heartache, and a regret that he never told him that he was his crush. 

Shiro rolled onto his side.

There was a lot of history to go off on with Keith, but this new artist who looked like him was a stranger despite actually being the same boy. He sighed long and hard, maybe slightly promising to try to say something tomorrow. 

 

* * *

 

Shiro had a late start.

He was rushing to the station to catch his train, barely having time to fix his collar or his tie before rushing out his door.

Taking the steps two at a time, Shiro made it in time with 5 minutes to spare, rushing to his platform, tunnel viewed he barely had time to notice a blur of red knock him and suddenly papers were everywhere. “Shit!” the voice said, and haphazardly started gathering what he could before rushing back up the steps, after murmuring a sorry. 

Shiro stared after, slightly hurt that Keith didn’t recognize him. A sudden yell from behind him got him focused back into getting on his train. 

* * *

 

Shiro can’t focus on work that day either. 

 

Allura notices immediately. `She sets a coffee in front of him at 10.  “Twice in a row huh?”

Shiro grabs the coffee, and thanks her, “Yeah,”  he says absentmindedly. It’s been a few hours to reflect on what happened this morning, and he’s come to the conclusion that he should probably stop this weird behavior before it makes the artist call the cops on him.

“About that same person?” Allura asks, and Shiro nods but doesn’t disclose anything else. 

There is a silence that settles, and Allura sighs, and goes back to her office leaving Shiro to his work. She comes back for lunch, Shiro apologizes for being weird again, she leaves him be saying she doesn’t mind. 

* * *

 

Shiro doesn’t see Keith at the station for a month. He had started getting worried 3 days into his absence. Regardless of not being in his life anymore, there is a slight instinct to worry about him. So after a month, Shiro is visibly disappointed, but figures to cut his losses. The universe can only throw you a bone once. That’s what he thinks at least.

The building project he’s been designing with his team has been going smoother without his distraction, his supervising lead had talked about adding on murals for the project and Shiro had agreed seeing how the apartment building was located in a part of the city that would appreciate the gesture. His supervisor had said he would get in contact with local artists, and Shiro had nodded and gotten back to work. 

The next week his Supervisor had called him into his office, “Shirogane, I would like you to meet the Artist we commissioned to paint the mural on your building!”

Shiro’s eyes go wide as the artist turns around to face him and his face goes pale as the Artist’s lips break into a smile he didn’t know he missed. He extends his hand toward him in greeting, “Kogane, Keith Kogane.” he introduces.

“Hey Keith, I’m Chief Designer on this Project, Shirogane, most people call me Shiro though,” He smiles back, giving the hand a small professional shake. 

“Well,  _ Shiro _ , I look forward to working with you on your project.” Keith says with an air of flirtation, Shiro tells himself he’s imagining things.

The supervisor keeps both there to go over the specs of what Keith’s job there is. Keith nods at the explanation and asks if it’s alright to go ahead and start mocking up initial sketches and Shiro has to suppress a laugh when his supervisor nearly screams an excited yes. 

When they’re allowed to leave the office, Shiro tells keith he can work in his. As Keith settles, there’s a moment of silence before they both decide to speak.

“No go ahead!” Shiro suggests, beating Keith to the punch. 

Keith sighs, mutters an alright, before speaking, “Sorry if that was a little too forward, in there, I don’t even know if you’re….” Keith’s silent for a moment, “Well doesn’t matter, but sorry.”

“Shiro shakes his head, “You’re fine, I didn’t even register that you were flirting with me,” he lies, he knows too damn well, and suddenly he’s suffering again, wrapped in his own head.

“Probably get that a bunch right?” Keith jokes, Shiro can see a slight smirk peeking on his lips from the side. 

“I supposed, I don’t really pay attention too much to people who don’t interest me,” Shiro admits.

“Oh,” Keith stiffens, going quiet.

It’s a few moments before Shiro realizes what he says, “No I mean, I…. I’m flattered but, um,” he flounders, this wasn’t how he wanted to start things again.

“No, it’s fine, you’re not interested, and we just met so there’s no expectations,” Keith turns to him fully, “We can still be friends.”

“Right,” Shiro agrees, “Since we are going to be working together though, it would be easier to get to know each other. Would you want to go to dinner?” 

Keith laughs, another things Shiro didn’t know he missed from this man, “You’re asking me out on a date, after saying you had no interest in me?”

“I…. Not, entirely. I guess, it could be an apology as well, for bumping into you the other day.

Keith’s face blanks, obviously trying to remember the event from almost two months back, “I don’t…. Remember you, but i’ll take it if it means I can get a date with you,” Keith smiles, and it’s a quirky boyish smile that had Shiro pulling at heartstrings to get himself to no spontaneously combust at. It’s something that Shiro remembers doing frequently when he and Keith shared their days together. 

“It was about a few weeks ago,” Shiro starts explaining for some reason unbeknownst to him, “I was running late to catch my train and you ran like a bat out of hell in the opposite direction. You lost a few drawings.”

Keith’s face pulls in thought, “Oh, that’s must have been when I live on that side of town yet,” he admits, looking back at Shiro, “You must really have a good memory.”

“Only things that matter,” Shiro mutters, and he can see Keith pretending not to hear what he said, he speaks louder as he addresses him, “Can you do tonight?”

“Mmmhmm,” Keith hums, trying to get wrapped in his drawings now.

“Meat okay?” Shiro asks.

“When isn’t it,” he hear Keith muse.

“I meant for food,” Shiro coughs, cheeks burning at the innuendo.

“So did I,” Keith laughs.

“Okay, after work then.” Shiro tries to save himself.

“It’s a date.”

“It’s….” Shiro sighs as Keith smirks at him from his drawing, “Okay.”

 

* * *

 

They gather their things and start for the restaurant. They decided on a hipster restaurant bar that Keith mentions that’s near his new apartment. There’s an added plus that they don’t need reservations like every other bar and/or restaurant they checked out before choosing on this one. 

“Nice place,” Shiro comments as they’re seated at their table, the waiter kind enough to give them a date like privacy, Shiro resigning to the fact that okay, it really is a date. 

“Yeah, it’s alright,” Keith replies eyes focusing on the menu.

“You’re… old enough to be in here right?” Shiro jokes taking the drink menu in his hand.

“How old do you think I am?” Keith gives him a look.

Shiro lets out a laugh into the menu, “I don’t know 12?”

“Are You-?” Keith starts to stand.

“I’m joking!” Shiro admits, half pleading for Keith to stay.

Keith sits back down, “Good icebreaker  _ Shiro,  _ “ Keith teases.

Shiro is about to reply when the waiter appears to take drink orders. When he retreats to get them, Shiro looks back to Keith, “So, what do you do beside commission work?”

Keith shrugs, “I’m an Artist full time, but I sometimes teach a figure drawing class in my studio. Doesn’t really rake in the bucks, so I had to move so I wouldn’t loose the studio. You’re job is paying my rent for the next year,” he lets out a bitter laugh.

“Why’d you choose fine art?” Shiro questions.

“I don’t know? I’ve always like to draw, back in highschool i was famous for galaxy paintings and the art teacher wrote me a really good rec letter to attend the college here. So, I did, it felt kinda dumb to switch my major, and it wasn’t like I hated it.” Keith shrugs, and their waiter comes back with the drinks and they both place in their order and the waiter is off again. 

“So what’d you minor in?” Shiro presses.

“Astronomical Sciences,” comes quickly from Keith. 

Shiro lets out a long whistle in response, because of course smart reading Keith would have both a mind for science and art, only Keith would have half a mind to do both in college. “What about you?” comes the next topic, focused on him. 

“Why Architecture?” Shiro clarifies and Keith nods taking a drink of his chardonnay, “I guess mostly because my Father did it? There were sports too, but I got injured too often that I wanted to settle myself down before I could permanently damage something.”

“What’d you play?” is the follow up.

“Can you guess?” Shiro muses.

“Football?” Shiro nods, but motions for him to keep going, “Baseball?” 

“Does little league when I was 10 counts?”

“Yes,” Keith laughs, “Anymore?”

“A few.”

“Soccer?” Shiro shakes his head, “I’m faster, but I don’t have enough stamina to be running up and down the field for 90 minutes.” 

“I’ll keep that in mind,” Keith hides behind his glass of wine when he says that, then guesses again, “Rugby?”

“Yeah, I actually tore my acl one season, my final season in Senior year.” Shiro laughs loudly at a memory, and explains when Keith gives him a look, “I realize that most of the fans dispersed after I left the club mostly because of the... “  
“I’ve seen enough Rugby to know.” Keith smirks, Shiro flushes pink in the cheeks.

“There are more sports,” he puts forth.

“Lacrosse?” another head shake no, “Basketball?”

“Same Issue with soccer,” Shiro smiles.

“Wrestling?”

“Martials Arts?”

Keith nods, “Yes that counts, I took it too when I was a kid, what’d you take?”

Shiro goes silent for a bit cause he forgot he and Keith had taekwondo together, but seeing as how he hasn’t remembered until now, he admits to this.

“Funny, I took the same thing when I was a kid, my best friend and I took it together, his parents were kinda mad at him for a while, I think they Kinda resented me for it,” He shrugs. 

“What was he like?” Shiro finds himself asking.

Keith shrugs, “he was kind of my only friend for a while before I moved. He was really nice to me and complimented me a lot for reading and stuff. I think the administration were tired of dealing with me so they dumped me on him.” he takes another drink from his glass, “I think when I was in second grade I made him promise to marry me? So he wouldn’t leave.” Shiro chokes, because he forgot about that, “This was of course before I knew divorce existed, and before I moved. But I was young and dumb and all the girls girls bullied me for having longer hair back then so i kinda thought they were all gross anyway.”

“Small town?” Shiro tries to form it into more of a question than a knowing statement.

“Yeah,” Keith agrees, “But once I moved in was into some really urban rich guy’s place, my step-brother was an absolute dick though.”

Shiro chuckles, “So, do you still talk to your best friend?”  
Keith shakes his head looking as the table, “Nah, we lost contact after I moved, Which was kind of sad because he was going into middle school and I was old enough to know what crushes meant. It’s funny I told him to write, but I completely forgot to give him my address, and I was too dumb to ask for his before I left.”

“You didn’t remember your best friend’s address?”  
“Knowing where he lived and actually knowing the number and name associated with where he lived where two different things.” Keith laughs, before sighing, “What about you? We kinda went on a tangent.”

“Oh yeah, the last sport was Swimming by the way,” Shiro laughs.

“I would have paid to see that,” Keith drawls.

Shiro clears his throat before continuing, “A lot of people did, I guess I had a knack for being the captain of all the clubs I joined,the fans would flock to the bleachers whenever we had a game or a meet. Well… besides when I was in little league.

“Now that doesn’t count because that’s when your muscles didn’t come in.”

“You’re making them sound shallow,” Shiro jokes.

Keith smiles and shrugs lightly, “So no sports in College?”

“I disappointed a lot of people when i took an academic scholarship instead of an athletic,” Shiro smiles, “I enjoyed being a nerd too much to be a full meathead.”

“Brains  _ and _ Brawn.” Keith says, he hasn’t lost his smile yet. 

Once again Shiro is about to go on when the waiter finally comes with their food, setting their meals in front of them. 

“Enjoy your meal.” He says before attending his other tables.

Keith starts digging in before look back to Shiro, “Well?”

Shiro laughs with a mouthful of stake, chews it before going on, “So both my Parents were from Japan and we moved to my hometown when I was 3 years old. It was kinda small where I used to live, but my dad was hired to be the Chief designer on a project back then and he’s been working there ever since.”

“He doesn’t like change does he?” Keith asks.

“Nah, he’s an older guy that would much rather routine than anything exciting. I think my Mother slightly resent him for that, but he tries and is good to here at least.”

Keith laughs again, “My friend’s parents were also like that.”

Shiro laughs stiffly, “Yeah, I mean some parents are like that,” He takes a bite of his steak before going on, “So when I go into middle school and highschool they really didn’t pressure me into anything much, most of the sports stuff was just me trying to find an outlet.”

“I mean girlfriends usually work?” Keith comments mouthful of his fish.

Shiro chokes on his laugh, “No, I meant like social circles, no… oh god, I’m gay.”  
“Oh.”

Shiro laughs again, “Or I’m like pretty sure I am.”

“Pretty sure?” Keith eyes him.

“I haven’t really dated around….. Or at all.”

“Can I ask why?” Keith says, and Shiro lapses into a sudden silence. 

After a while, Keith looks like he’s about reel back and say nevermind, Shiro goes to explain, “I say I’m pretty sure, because I’ve never been sexually attracted to Women, but also I found Men attractive, but I didn’t find myself attracted to them, so I spent too much time looking this stuff up and got really no closer any answers. So yeah I’m pretty sure I am.” Shiro breathes for a moment, “I guess also, there was this boy I liked when I was younger, I guess i was kinda hung up on him for a while to even try to branch to other people.”

“And you two never got together?”

Shiro shakes his head, “He moved away before I got the chance to tell him. We were also probably too young back then to get into anything too serious. I think I was just kind of resenting myself for not saying something earlier.”

“You two didn’t keep in contact?”

“Sound familiar?” Shiro gives him a sheepish look.

“What, uh… what grade did he move in?”

“I had just graduated 5th grade so he was just going into 4th.”

Keith sucked in a breath, and cast his eyes to the side, “What… was the name of the town you grew up in?”  
“Groover Beach, California” Shiro answers.

Keith looks back to him, and he’s silent for the longest time before eking out the smallest “Takashi?”

Shiro nods, mentally kicking himself for not giving his first name when they introduced themselves earlier, “Yeah.”

Keith lets out a shaking breath that sounds a bit like a laugh, “holyfuckingshit,” he says on his exhale. Shiro notices his cheeks going slowly red and he shrinks, “Holy fucking shit, Shiro. Takashi,” Keith is visibly struggling.

Shiro nods again, “Yeah, it’s me.”

“Why didn’t you? When did???”  
Shiro looks to his hands, “I kinda found you on a whim, I saw you on my same train about two months ago, and learned your name when we went home that day, I was right behind you by coincidence and you answered the phone. I didn’t you to think I was stalking you.”

Keith lets out another shaky laugh, “I guess? I’m sorry I didn’t notice you. I guess my head was in the clouds with the move and dealing with class.”

Shiro shrugs, and Keith laughs more heartedly, Shiro looks to him, “Didn’t you mom say something about fated mates?”

“The Universe will pull them together?

“Yeah?”

“Are you?”

“Takashi, I’m saying ‘I love you.’”

  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> As always thanks so much for reading, this is my first fic for Voltron so I hope I did this justice.  
> Comments and Kudos are much welcomed and mean the world to me  
> If you want to keep up with me on anything else my tumblr is @earltealord


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